Check out our March newsletter!
LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
March 2023
We Help You With Medicare.
MEDICAL SCIENCE IS AMAZING But Beware: Titanium and Polyurethane May Lead to Snowboarding!
Back in the day when the Honda Accord was the best-selling car in the U.S., a friend of mine said, “I never noticed how many Honda Accords there were until I bought one myself. Now they are everywhere!” Since I had one knee replaced, I’m hearing from so many others that they’ve had one or two replaced also. My very unofficial survey reports that cataracts and knees seem to be the most popular procedures for those of us over age 60! The knee arthroscopy scar is unique. A 12-inch vertical line from quadriceps to shin. In a few days, I’ll have a matched set. Dr. Golden replaced my right knee on March 1, 2022, and two weeks short of a year later, he will replace the left. Multiple cortisone shots in the left have sustained mobility while my right rehabbed from replacement. Having completed all the pre- op tests and appointments except for the COVID-19 test four days prior to surgery, I’m ready to go. Titanium and polyurethane will enable me to engage in activities I’ve not enjoyed for nearly 10 years as my knees deteriorated and the pain increased. Like many of my readers, sports and work-related injuries and plain old wear and tear have reduced cartilage to bone on bone. I am so looking forward to getting back to living daily life without steroids and hiking in the hills above the Ojai Valley. Returning to the basketball court is not in my plans, but I am harboring thoughts of snowboarding with my sons again! We’ll see about that in 2024. Longtime readers of Lyn’s Ledger are aware of my appreciation for the astonishing range of medical treatments available to
us in our time. Advances in technology have made previously unimagined health procedures commonplace. The removal of a clouded lens or cataract is recorded in the second century by a Greek physician. In more recent times, in 1748, French ophthalmologist Jacques Daviel reportedly extracted cataracts. Whether the patients’ vision improved is unknown. Even into the mid-20th century, a cataract patient would be immobilized with sandbags packed around their head. Now, the ophthalmology profession claims a 98% success rate with cataracts, and I’m aware of a doctor who boasts of being in and out of the patient’s eye in less than 15 seconds. The knee-replacement field claims a “positive outcome” rate of above 90%, with 82% of total knee replacements still functioning after 25 years (healthline.com/health/total-knee- replacement-surgery/outcomes-statistics-success-rate). I’m happy to be a statistic. Amazing! While I will be out of commission for three weeks or so, the very capable team at LTI is available to respond to any questions you may have. My home team, Kathy, and the God- designed healing process are the real reason I’ll be back in action soon. I am blessed beyond words!
–Lyn Thomas
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www.LT-ins.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
LIVING IT UP Lyndon Thomas Insurance
Making the Retirement Bucket List of Your Dreams
Some retire with all sorts of plans in mind, ready to do everything they never had the chance to do. Others worry about how they’ll fill the days without a daily job. If you’re not making the most of your golden years, it may be time to create a retirement bucket list. Start by thinking about what you value most. When are you happiest? What have you always wanted to try? What would you do if you could do anything in the world? Not every idea on this list will be realistic; you probably won’t win a gold medal at the Olympics or walk on the moon. But you might be able to run a marathon or visit a NASA space center. These questions will help you understand your priorities and how you’d like the rest of your life to look. It also helps to start small. Creating a 50- line list can leave you too overwhelmed to accomplish anything. And while it’s okay
to include the trip to Rome you’ve always dreamed of, remember that many ideas are less expensive and closer to home. For example, maybe you’ve always wanted to take a cooking class or a Zumba lesson. Perhaps there’s a historical building in your town you’ve never taken the time to visit. Or you might aspire to something as simple as getting up early and watching the sunrise. Whatever you include, you should be excited about every item on your list. Simply going through the motions won’t help you find fulfillment. It might be cool to say you’ve visited all 50 states — but do you want to spend that much time traveling? You should consider whether an idea is interesting and whether you are willing to commit to accomplishing it. It’s also okay if your priorities change. You don’t have to cross an item off your list just
because you wrote it down two years ago. Your retirement bucket list should be about fun and fulfillment, not an obligation. Give yourself permission to abandon the ideas that start to seem like chores. Creating a retirement bucket list is an opportunity to find meaning in your 60s and beyond. None of us wants to reach the end of our lives with regrets. So, take the time now to focus on what you value most.
You get a lot of junk mail. But every month there is one letter you get that you will want to open and read, and that’s the Monthly Report from your Part D Prescription Drug Program. All Part D programs have four stages, Deductible, Initial, Gap, and Catastrophic, and all Part D plans send a monthly Prescription Drug Report if scripts are being received. This monthly statement includes important information including prescriptions that were filled during that month and the amount applied to the Annual Deductible of $505 in 2023 IF applied to your plan. Then in the Initial Coverage Stage , it lists the co-pay you paid for each prescription and the amount the plan paid for each, which together equals the Total Drug Cost. As prescriptions are filled from month to month, the report will show the accumulated Total Drug Cost to date and how far you have to go before you reach the Initial Coverage Limit (the 2023 ICL is $4,660 of Total Drug Cost). The majority of people do not reach the ICL: Those with a Low IT’S NOT ALL JUNK (MAIL) Read the Monthly Part D Report
prescription changes from the Tier Copay to 25% of the cost for both generics and brand drugs. Please read your monthly report, because going into the Coverage Gap or “Donut Hole” is even more unpleasant when you find out about it during the next refill at the drugstore! The amount the member pays in Copays in Initial Coverage and the 25%’s paid in the Coverage Gap are together known as the “True Out of Pocket” amount, or TROOP. If the TROOP reaches $7,400 (not counting premiums), the member has reached the Catastrophic Stage for the remainder of the year, where the cost of prescriptions goes down to the greater of 5% or $3.70 for generics and $9.20 for all other drugs. 5% of the manufacturers’ brand drug cost is applied to the TROOP, hastening the arrival to Catastrophic. The silver lining in this cloud is that if you are in the Gap or Catastrophic, each January 1 all accounts are reset to $0 and you are back in the Initial Coverage stage. Recent legislation will change Part D in 2025, when a “hard” cap of $2,000 for out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. How this will alter premiums and drug costs before $2,000 is yet to be seen. If you have any questions about your Part D Prescription Drug Program, do not hesitate to call us. Prescription drug costs can be frustrating. While we can’t bring drug costs down, we try to help you understand your program better and review potential options. * For those with Low Income Subsidy through Medi- Cal or Medicare Extra Help, the Coverage Gap and Catastrophic do not apply, as they pay a specific co-pay throughout the year.
Income Subsidy through Medi-Cal or Medicare Extra Help, the Coverage Gap and Catastrophic do not apply, as they pay a specific co-pay throughout the year. For those who do max out the Initial Coverage Limit and move into the Coverage Gap Stage , the amount the member would then pay for each
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CA# 0D96309
1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
www.LT-ins.com
We Help You With Medicare.
WHAT IS HEALTHSPAN? If you’re retired or about to retire, you have a new and exciting life ahead of you. You may plan to travel the world, start a home project, or adopt a pet. Whatever you decide to do in your retirement, it’s essential to ensure you have as much time to enjoy it as possible. So, how do you make it last? activity, but ensure that your weekly exercises are well-rounded and include at least one exercise in each category. How much you invest matters. And How Can You Improve It
We all get busy, that much is true, but how much time you invest in your health makes a difference in how much you get on the return. Ideally, you want to exercise in one of the above categories for 30
The best way to ensure you get the most out of your life after retiring is to focus on improving your healthspan. While your lifespan is how long you live, your healthspan is how long you can do things independently with complete physical and cognitive ability. Your healthspan also impacts the quality of life left in your lifespan, and the more you invest in it, the more you can enjoy your sunset years to their fullest. Here’s what you can do to invest in your health now to get the highest return in the future. Invest in all aspects of your fitness. Exercise is always an excellent investment for a healthier life, but to increase your healthspan, you’ll need to invest in all facets of your fitness, not just cardio. To diversify your health investments, focus on strength, power (how much energy you can output in a short time), balance, flexibility, and cardio. You can accomplish this through any
minutes daily. If your schedule is slammed, and exercise seems impossible to fit in, try to exercise at a higher intensity (at a level where you cannot hold a conversation during it) for at least 15 minutes a day for roughly the same results. Investing in a well-rounded exercise routine with consistent time durations can improve your healthspan for many years.
While the amount of time you have left is important, the quality of that time undoubtedly matters too. When you invest in your healthspan, you’re investing in your independence!
SUDOKU
APPLE TART WITH ROSEMARY AND HONEY SYRUP
Ingredients
• • • •
Frozen puff pastry, thawed
• • • •
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup runny honey, divided
1 egg yolk
2 pink lady apples, very thinly sliced 1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked
1/3 cup almond meal
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. Roll pastry to a 12-inch-diameter circle, 1/8 inch thick. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. 3. In a bowl, place butter, egg yolk, almond meal, vanilla, and 1/4 cup honey. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. 4. Spread over pastry and arrange apple slices on top. Drizzle with 1/4 cup honey. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and crisp. 5. In a pan over low heat, place rosemary and remaining 1/4 cup honey. Swirl to melt honey. Pour over tart, and enjoy! Directions
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CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
Inspired by: Delicious.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
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We Live in Amazing Times: Just Look at My Knee
Creating a Retirement Bucket List
Part D Drug Program Sends a Monthly Report
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The Investment You Can’t Afford to Skip
Apple Tart With Rosemary and Honey Syrup
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Want a Vitamin Boost?
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
HEALTH BENEFIT OF VITAMIN D
SOAK UP THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN
It reduces the risks of depression. Studies have shown that those who are deficient in vitamin D become more prone to mood disorders and depression. To ensure that you support your mental health, step outside and get some happy, feel-good rays! It’s possibly linked to weight loss. While it’s not fully proven that vitamin D helps with weight loss, many studies have found links between vitamin D supplements and shedding a few pounds. In one study, one group of people taking vitamin D and calcium supplements lost more weight than another group taking placebos. It prevents and helps multiple sclerosis. Not only is vitamin D proven to lower a person’s chances of getting this horrible disease, but for those who already have it, it can also reduce symptoms or slow down the disease’s progression.
With spring on the horizon, we all will be able to get outdoors a little more and soak up some sun — and extra vitamin D! Bring on the picnics, pool days, hiking, sports activities, and leisurely walks through the park! Let’s take a look at the many benefits this vitamin provides for our bodies. It boosts your immune system. Vitamin D helps your body fight off sickness. In fact, it’s been proven that deficiencies in vitamin D are connected to an increased possibility of developing infections and autoimmune diseases such as the flu, heart disease, and diabetes. It counters osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a loss in bone mass, is common as we get older. However, vitamin D is one of the key players in helping to slow down bone loss and prevent or treat osteoporosis so we can maintain a healthy skeletal system.
This spring, be sure to get outdoors and soak up some vitamin D; however, don’t forget to protect your skin, too! To avoid overexposure, only about 10–15 minutes a day of unprotected sun is recommended.
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1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro •www.NewsletterPro.com
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